Transistor Radio is the webcast of Transistor. Tune in to hear programs featuring indie & archival rock, Americana, electronica, house, disco, funk and soul, tracks from our live performance archive, original sound pieces specially made for Transistor Radio, interview and discussion programs, and more.

Transistor Radio for March 2019

[Click a link to visit the show page or visit this month’s audio page]

15 Songs is a mix of music new and old from Transistor Radio's 40,000-song library. That means lots of indie rock and electro-pop, but it also includes post-punk, post-rock, New Wave, No Wave, dream pop, trip-hop, glam, lounge, soul, lo-fi and the hard-to-classify. On this month's show, host Andy Miles has recent music from Jo Passed, Sneaks, Mass Gothic and Ian Sweet, plus archival tracks from Big Audio Dynamite, Tears For Fears, Peter Gabriel and more!

Bring Your Own Beat is the show in which we invite a guest DJ to craft and present a playlist of songs. This month RareJule Vintage owner Julia Marchenko has curated a fantastic mix of 20 songs, with music from Duran Duran, Pink Floyd, James Blake, SBTRKT, The Rolling Stones, The Cure, Fleetwood Mac and more.

Depth of Fieldis a mix of news, music and conversation concerning things Transistor and beyond. This month on the show we have two interviews. First up is Annie Russell, creator of an event taking place March 14 at Transistor; called Freshman, it will bring together some of Chicago's best comedians to share their first attempts at comedy, writing and art. Later in the show we hear from Chicago artist Phil Thompson, whose Cape Horn Illustration specializes in Chicago prints and posters, home and building drawings, and illustration with architectural and historical themes. We also hear music from La Patrie, Open Forum Project and Berlin contemporary classical trio XelmYa, all recorded live at Transistor.

On The Good Music Show with Scott and Odie, you'll be immersed in a quintessential college radio show, even if you don't live within a block of a university's antenna. Indie rock and underground sounds past, present and future. You might hear it first and or last, on The Good Music Show. This month: Studio wizardry and retake after retake can dull and nullify the true meaning of the sound a band was working to create... but playing live, that's the moment. A time where the bands sound and performance will never ever be repeated or recreated. Sometimes magical, sometimes tragic, but it was a happening... it was live. This episode of The Good Music Show we give you some of our favorite bands doing what they should... playing it live. In front of people even.

Jon Monteverde hosts and curates In Store: Selections from Transistor's Live Performance Archive. As Transistor's live performance sound engineer, Jon has recorded more than 300 sets of live music at Transistor; on this monthly program, he showcases highlights from this collection. This month he presents one-man math rock from The Roarer (recorded January 15, 2016) and electronic textures from Dan Fanelli’s Color Army (recorded October 4, 2013).

DJ Lechstafari returns to Transistor Radio with a new show! Open Format showcases new and familiar songs from all styles and genres of music. It is curated into a 60-minute DJ set by DJ Lechstafari. It is meant to make you learn, listen, move and dance. This month is episode number 2!

Andy Miles regularly offers up 15 Songs, a mix of music new and old from Transistor Radio's 40,000-song library. That means lots of indie rock and electropop, but it also includes post-punk, post-rock, New Wave, No Wave, Britpop, dream pop, trip-hop, math rock, Kraut rock, glam, lounge, soul, lo-fi and the hard-to-classify.

Until April 2018Bring Your Own Beat was the show in which Transistor Radio invited sound artists of all kinds to create an original piece. Beginning in June 2018 BYOB also became a platform for guest DJs to craft and present a playlist of songs.

The Cine-Cast is a monthly podcast from cinefile.info, a website that spotlights alternative, underground, and non-commercial screenings in Chicago. The podcast features commentary from Cine-File contributors, as well as interviews with people in the local film community and information about upcoming screenings. [This show is no longer part of Transistor Radio’s programming, but look for current and future episodes at cinefile.info.]

Culturetopia is an arts interview program hosted by accomplished Chicago writer and actress Marla Seidell. The three episodes of the show were recorded and released between August and October of 2013. We hope to re-launch the show in 2019.

Dead Flowersis a motley and mind-expanding exploration of the 1960s, with plenty of air time given to pop, soul, folk, surf, garage, girl group, Motown, British Invasion, psychedelic rock, blues, bossa nova, jazz, lounge and much more. Andy Miles hosts.

Depth of Field is a mix of news, music and conversation concerning things Transistor and beyond. Andy Miles hosts, with Danielle Echols.

Emotional Rescue is a fun and often funky exploration of all things 1970-1980 with plenty of air time given to pop, disco, soul, funk, punk, reggae, Afrobeat, New Wave, classic rock, and even some occasional jazz. Andy Miles hosts.

In 2010 Transistor Radio produced six episodes of The Extended Pause, a monthly show devoted to storytelling, poetry, the spoken word, show-and-tell, the art of field-tripping, the experiential, and allowing oneself to get carried away. Sayward Schoonmaker was host and tour guide. [This show is not in current production but remains in our archives.]

On The Good Music Show with Scott and Odie, you'll be immersed in a quintessential college radio show, even if you don't live within a block of a university's antenna. Indie rock and underground sounds past, present and future. You might hear it first and or last, on The Good Music Show.

Presented by Mike Benz (DJ Tashtego), Interlopin' hops eras and genres to concoct a special brew of dance floor euphoria. Featuring everything from space disco, minimal techno, indie rock, synth pop, and Afrobeat, to all manners of house -- deep, tech, classic and French -- the show emphasizes seamless blends that tease out the unique resonances of tracks.

Open Format showcases new and familiar songs from all styles and genres of music. It is curated into a 60-minute DJ set by DJ Lechstafari. It is meant to make you learn, listen, move and dance.

From January 2010 through June 2011 Transistor Radio offered a weekly arts interview show, The Roundtable, hosted by Rani Woolpert (now Rani Young). The show was usually recorded before an audience, often included “in studio” performances, and generally provided a showcase for artists and artisans whose work was featured at Transistor, teachers presenting workshops at the store, and musicians scheduled to perform in Transistor’s Friday night music series. The show also reached past the confines of Transistor to explore the goings-on in Chicago’s wider arts and entertainment community. [This show is not in current production but remains in our archives.]

On Sideshow, curator Bloodshot Scott unearths, examines and displays roots music in its myriad forms. From unknown oddities to adored luminaries, it fits if he says it fits. Step right up, tune right in, and hear it only on Sideshow, folks!

Beginning in March 2010 Transistor Radio presented the semi-regular “comedy quiz”" show The Silent K, a celebration of obscure and/or useless information, a heady synthesis of junk food and junk culture: “a party for smarties.” The show rewarded correctness with fabulous prizes (usually candy) and punished wrongness with mockery (and candy), and every show's best contestant had a chance to win a Transistor gift card. Co-hosted by Brian Hischier and Jeremy Pautz -- innovators in the fields of humorous interrogation and the tactical deployment of miscellany -- The Silent K ran for more than a year, and most of the 22 episodes they produced are available from the audio players below, along with a 'Roundtable' interview the co-hosts sat for (actually, if memory serves, they were both standing). [This show is not in current production but remains in our archives.]

The Sunday Sessionwent out over Transistor Radio’s then-live feed in 2011, with book-reading performances from Jon Langford and Julian Dawson, jazz combo Extraordinary Popular Delusions, storyteller Kevin Gladish, and more. In 2019, we are hoping to resurrect the program; details to come.

On each episode of This Show Will Change Your Life, comedian Dave Maher talks to creative people about a movie, song, book, even a piece of furniture that changed their lives in ways big or small, obvious or surprising. [This show is not in current production but remains in our archives.]

The White City Cinema Radio Hour is a film-themed talk show. Host Michael Smith brings his Chicago-centric White City Cinema film blog to the air with observations on an almost impossibly eclectic blend of cinema, both classic and modern, and features film reviews, film festival coverage, interviews with filmmakers, critics and programmers, and much more.

Many of Transistor Radio's shows are recorded in Studio C in the basement of Transistor Chicago. Learn about renting that studio here.

OUR SPONSORS

Anglerfish Lighting specializes in one-of-a-kind lamps made from industrial hardware and vintage artifacts: phones, cameras, books, record players. We can convert anything into a functional work of art. Shop original Anglerfish designs available exclusively at Transistor in Andersonville. Or talk to the friendly staff at Transistor about having something designed just for you. Anglerfish can create a unique conversation piece to fit any aesthetic, hobby or interest. All you have to do is ask. So stop on by Transistor and see what Anglerfish can do for you. Or visit us on the web at www.anglerfishlighting.com.

Explore music, stories, poetry, and more from across Chicago at the Boxcar, 1115 West Berwyn Avenue, next to Steep Theatre and two doors east of the Berwyn Red Line stop. Boxcar performances are free and begin at 7:30 every Sunday and Monday night. Listen to the ad above for highlights from their March lineup and check them out online at steeptheatre.com/boxcar.

Eager to Know is a weekly podcast hosted by Chicago artist Ricky McEachern exploring how using the creative aspects of our brains can shift outcomes in exciting ways. Each episode offers listeners specific suggestions on how to engage creativity when moving things forward. Guests include artists as well as others in life roles not traditionally considered creative.

Foyer Shop specializes in user-friendly plants for your home or office, along with affordable prints, stationery, and other useful treasures and tools. We’re proud to be Andersonville's local flower shop with ready-made bouquets and a DIY flower bar. Foyer Shop also offers in-home plant consultations, workshops and full-service floral design for weddings and other events. Visit us Wednesday though Sunday 12:00-6:00 p.m. at 1480 W. Berwyn Ave, around the corner from Reza’s Restaurant, or find us at www.foyer.shop

Here we are, at the start of another new year, reflecting on our lives, what’s working and what’s not. You might find yourself setting the same goals but making choices that produce the results you don’t want. It’s frustrating, at best. Lisa Hinton is a change coach who can help you identify patterns that are keeping you stuck. She’s flexible, affordable and easy to work with, and she’s in Chicago. Check her out at www.lisahinton.com, or give her a call at 216-702-8240. Mention Transistor Radio and she will give you 10 percent off any coaching package.

Rare Birds Musical Oddities is Chicago's only musical oddity shop and features loads of 1980s keyboards, 1970s analog synths and drum machines, exotic hand percussion from around the world, vintage toy musical instruments, records, boomboxes, rock 'n' roll and music memorabilia, and a wall full of rare and rad vintage guitars and basses. Buy, sell and trade your vintage gear as well as pickup accessories like strings, adapters cables and more.

Rare Birds is located inside Transistor Chicago, 5224 N. Clark Street, and is open five days a week: Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 12:00-7:00 p.m., and Sunday 12:00-5:00 p.m. Find them online at rarebirdsmusic.com.

This is Julia of RareJule Vintage, a mostly online, vintage clothing emporium based in Evanston. My site has hundreds of vintage dresses, coats, lingerie, and accessories from the ‘20s to the ‘90s to help you step outside of the fast-fashion pace and into a playful, creative exploration of how a unique, vintage wardrobe can best help bring out your individual radiance.

If you are tired of online retail, I also take clients by appointment in my home studio and now do boutique style pop-ups all over Chicagoland in collaboration with artists and other creative business owners. Visit my site to shop, contact me, or sign up for my selling event announcements.

On March 17th, RareJule Vintage is excited to be part of Style Your Spring, a pop-up show in Logan Square that will feature vintage frocks and frills from her own collection, in conjunction with work by a local milliner as well as a botanical designer who will be giving workshops. Save the date for now and follow her on social media to get details and announcements of future shows. Find the event on Eventbrite.

Four gay men. Four addictions. One landlord from Hell. Welcome to Summerdale, the beginning of an LGBT horror novel series set in Andersonville.

The landlord of Summerdale House is Mr. McGreevy, a charismatic sociopath who enables addiction and isolates his tenants until the only place they feel safe is inside his house. Throughout the series, Summerdale will focus on issues in the gay community including racism, misogyny, substance abuse, and domestic abuse. One new Summerdale novel will be released every October.

Join David Jay Collins at his reading on Thursday, March 21 at Rewired Edgewater. He'll read selections from Gaybash, set in Boystown, and Summerdale, his LGBT horror series set in Andersonville! His reading will be at 7:00 p.m. at Rewired Edgewater Cafe, 1107 W. Berwyn Avenue, by the Red Line stop. Can't make the reading? Look for David's author tent at Midsommarfest June 8-9!

Spotlighting the DIY spirit in genre filmmaking, WINDY CITY HORRORAMA FILM FESTIVAL is back with Part 2 for a weekend of wild films, Q&As, and killer parties. WINDY CITY HORRORAMA is happening April 26th-28th at The Davis Theater in Chicago and full-fest passes are available right now at windycityhorrorama.com. Join WINDY CITY HORRORAMA Part 2 for an unforgettable weekend that will prove that sometimes sequels don’t suck.

Human skeletons, shrunken heads, antique taxidermy, ouija boards, surgical tools, and Victorian hair wreaths are just some of the strange and eclectic items you will find at Woolly Mammoth Antiques and Oddities, located at 1513 W. Foster Avenue in Andersonville. Check out social media at woollymammothchicago.com. Open daily.

OUR STORY

Transistor Radio is the webcast of Transistor. Launched December 27, 2009, the shows were recorded live in the store every Sunday night for the first year and a half of its existence. Those shows included TheRoundtable, an arts interview & discussion program hosted by Rani Woolpert, a comedy quiz show called The Silent K with contestants pulled from our "studio' audience," and a two-hour music show presented by Andy Miles as patrons played ping-pong on the main floor of the shop. (This was in our Andersonville location, where we had a lot more space, and yes, a ping-pong table.) In 2010 we went live, webcasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Costs proved prohibitive and we returned to recording and uploading shows, with DJs Jeff GoodSmith, Amanda Walz, Joshua Wentz, Sarah Luczko, Planet Claire and others added to the lineup. Our spoken-word-program offerings also expanded with Molly Merkel and Sayward Schoonmaker coming on board. When we moved to Lincoln Avenue, Jeff and Amanda continued to host music shows, and Kevin Golden & Claire Kander came by every once in a while, sometimes with their dog Yoshi, to make some shows. In our Broadway location, Liz McCabe started coming by on Friday afternoons to record a set until the webcast went on hiatus in early 2014. On the first Tuesday of 2015, Transistor Radio was re-launched with a new slate of programs and a bevy of new hosts. We've continued adding shows in the years since. Details above!